- The industry is ready
Arendalsuka, the largest political gathering in Norway, was the place to be this week. With over 2000 events, this year’s gathering was set to break records. Energy, sustainability, and transition were on everybody’s lips, and hydrogen and ammonia play a big and important part in this discussion.
The Great Hydrogen Debate
The Great Hydrogen Debate gathered the industry, politicians, and classification to discuss how Norway is doing in the transition to a zero-emission society. With topics on how Norway could take a leading role in the hydrogen industry, who users of hydrogen are, and what the cost of hydrogen will be, it was rigged for an exciting debate. Ocean Hyway Clusters’ leader of the board, Marielle Furnes Mannseth, was moderator alongside colleague Per Voie. She noticed a shift and difference in the debate topics:
Hydrogen and ammonia were a repeating topic on several debates at Arendalsuka. However, this year's debates focused more on concrete barriers that needs to be solved to realize hydrogen. The industry is ready to start and clear that this is going to happen. It’s the question of when, she says.
This year, the Great Hydrogen Debate focused on how Norway could take a leading role in the hydrogen industry, who the users are and what the cost will be. The panellists were (f.l): Lars Wittemann (SVP Sourcing and Supply Chain, Ekornes), Per Øyvind Voie (Managing Director, VIREON), Jens Berge (CEO, Norwegian Hydrogen), Heidi Wolden (CEO, Norled), Terje Aasland (Minister of petroleum and energy), Ingebjørg Telnes Wilhelmes (Secretary General, Norwegian Hydrogen Forum), Sverre Alvik (Program Director, Energy Transition, DNV), Marielle Furnes Mannseth (Group Brand & Sustainability Officer, Norwegian Hydrogen). Photo credit: Norwegian Hydrogen.
Credit: Norwegian Hydrogen
During the Great Hydrogen Debate, Jens Berge pointed out a crucial point: “None of the 5 hydrogen-hubs receiving funding from Enova has made an investment decision”. Enova answered this with releasing two new funding schemes “ammonia on vessels” and “hydrogen in vessels” (PS: There will be a webinar on the 24. August where the two schemes will be presented).
4 key take-aways
While we wish things would go even faster than they do today, there’s also a lot that’s coming into place. Some important impressions and signals:
Bildetekst: How can Norway, German and the EU Realize the Opportunities of an Industrial and Energy PartnerShip? That was one of many debates at Arendalsuka. Credit: Martin Hennum.
German-Norwegian collaboration is becoming increasingly concretized at the political level, with Jan Christian Vestre, Ministry of Trade and Industry, in the lead. The pressure and desire for a close collaboration between Germany and Norway has never been higher.
The industry is ready to realize hydrogen in the maritime hydrogen, whilst the politics is still on the fence.
Organizations such as the Norwegian-German Chamber of Commerce, which Ocean Hyway Cluster collaborates with, will play an important role in the Norwegian-German collaboration.
Together with the large energy-intensive infrastructure, the maritime industry will be in the driving seat for where hydrogen-based fuels are applicable.
Solving the barriers - together
Politicians, actors, and key players like the clusters must pull in the same direction. By 2030, the need for hydrogen in the EU alone will be around 50 million tonnes. A nearly impossible task if we do not cooperate nationally and internationally.
Ocean Hyway Cluster look forward to discussing these topics further and deeper on 1 – 2. November in Florø at the Maritime Hydrogen Conference – where key hydrogen players meet. This year´s conference will focus on the biggest barriers within infrastructure, commercialization, and safety. Feel free to check out the agenda if you are interested
